Fallen Bond
by anubislover
Summary: Since the day God created her, Anna and Lucifer have shared a special bond. As they grow older and Heaven and Earth change, so too does the bond. After all, there are some things only those destined to fall can understand. Will start off fluffy, but will eventually get dark.
1. Born

I love Lucifer, and I really liked Anna, and I wondered if they knew each other in Heaven. Then this came about, and other chapters will come soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lucifer, though I'd certainly like to! I also don't own _Supernatural_.

_Fallen Bond_

Chapter 1: Born

Though he would never say as much to Father, Lucifer was not very impressed with the fledglings He had been producing. Though He loved his four archangels, He'd decided that they needed more siblings, and thus had gradually been creating more angels for them to watch over and bond with, as siblings should. There were only a few so far, but Lucifer had yet to find one he actually _could_ bond with.

Zachariah was a snooty, ass-kissing pain obsessed with gaining Michael's approval. Metatron was annoyingly long-winded. Joshua wasn't bad, but he was more concerned with taking care of the Garden than spending time with his siblings. Then there was Azazel…well, the less said about him the better. There were several others, but to be honest, none of them stood out to him as deserving his attention. They were all so bland and more interested in following than thinking. They were just so unlike him. Lucifer couldn't say he hated any of them, but they really felt more like distant cousins than siblings.

So when Michael presented him with Father's latest fledgling, he was more than ready for disappointment. But when he reluctantly took the little bundle from his brother's arms, he felt his Grace respond to her presence. He looked closely at the little fledgling and found he couldn't take his eyes off her. True, she couldn't match his own beauty (but really, who could?), but something about her vibrant red hair, downy, white wings and intelligent green eyes called to him. Her eyes had only shut long enough to let her adjust to his powerful Grace, then matched him stare for stare, studying him as closely as he studied her.

His hand just barely brushed her cheek, but her skin was soft beneath his fingertips, pale and luminous compared to his own, which held just the barest hint of gold. Suddenly, she grabbed his finger in one of her tiny fists, and he felt what he lacked with the other angels: kinship. This little angel would be different from the others, more like him. She wouldn't blindly follow Michael like the others. She would think. She would ask. She would be like him. In that moment, he knew; she was his.

For the first time, Lucifer was able to bless a fledgling with a genuine smile. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Anael."

TBC

I know it's short, but I plan to continue this! It will be a series of connected one-shots and drabbles, and I hope to gradually get them up. Hopefully I'll get some positive responses; I know Anna's kind of unpopular, but I thought she was pretty badass, and I wondered what would happen if she met Lucifer. After all, they both fell, even if for different reasons. So yeah, hopefully you enjoyed reading this, and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Please review!

Also, as cute and fuzzy as the early chapters will be, I plan for this stuff to get darker as time goes on, so be ready for that. I'm not sure how dark, but let's just say an "M" rating is certainly a possibility. Just giving you fair warning. I'll try to give notice at the beginning of chapters if it starts to get dark.


	2. Meetings and Nicknames

So, here's the second chapter. I've only gotten one review so far, though I'm not surprised, given the unconventional pairing. Hopefully this chapter will get at least a few reviews, though, since I'd certainly like to know what you all think. I'm a little worried that this chapter is a bit too much like other kiddie!angel fics that I've seen, though hopefully I've managed to make it at least a little bit different. I warn you, this is almost painfully fluffy, but I made it that way with a purpose, so please forgive me for it.

Disclaimer: I'm not the creator of Supernatural, so I don't own.

Chapter 2: Meetings and Nicknames

Despite his immediate fondness for the fledgling, Lucifer wasn't able to spend any significant amount of time with Anael until she was at least a few centuries old, a toddler by human standards. Not that he hadn't wanted to, but Father had requested that the archangels help Him with his latest project: great, powerful beasts called "dinosaurs." He had wanted their input on which ones should go in the different eras he was planning, and eventually how they should perish.

Flattered that Father had asked him to help, thoughts of the little fledgling were pushed aside, though he did occasionally try to check in on her. He'd fly over to the patch of clouds where the fledglings were typically sent to play, easily spotting her red hair. He was disinclined to approach her while surrounded by the horde of other little angels, however, as they had a habit of crowding him and then he'd never get to speak with his sister. So he'd merely reach out with his Grace as he watched from a distance, letting it lightly brush hers before quickly returning to work. He doubted she even realized he was there, but it gave him a sense of peace, so he didn't mind.

The dinosaurs were coming along rather well, so Father had decided to reward his four archangels by giving them the day off. Deciding that it had been far too long since he had seen Anael, he took off for the play area. Much to his surprise, when he arrived there was no sign of her, and a small part of him felt a strange twinge of worry. The fledglings were always watched over carefully, whether by an archangel (typically Gabriel or Raphael), or one of the older seraphs. He took off, determined to find her and put an end to his unease. Gliding over the clouds, it didn't take him long to spot the little dot of red amongst the white, like a drop of paint on a blank canvas. Swooping down, the Morning Star gracefully landed before his sister. "Hello, Anael."

The fledgling jumped at his sudden entrance, but she quickly regained her composure and bowed respectfully. "Hello, Archangel Lucifer. Do you need something?" she asked quietly.

Lucifer smiled, impressed. Most of the others, fledgling and seraph alike, were too overwhelmed to even speak when he chose to grace them with his presence. Yet this one answered him with only a small tremble in her voice. "Actually, there is something I require, Little One."

"Yes, Sir?"

"Knowledge. Specifically, I'd like to know why you're out here all alone. Shouldn't you be playing with the other fledglings?" He frowned a bit. "And please stop bowing; it looks terribly uncomfortable."

She obeyed, but kept her eyes downcast out of respect. The older angels always scolded her whenever she tried to meet the eyes of a superior. "I played with them earlier, Sir, but Zachariah was getting bossy, so I decided to play on my own."

Now that did not sound right to Lucifer. "That sounds rather lonely. Besides, a little thing like you shouldn't be out on her own just yet. What if you got hurt? No one would be able to help you."

She frowned a bit, fiddling with the ends of her hair. "I…didn't want to bother anyone, Archangel Lucifer. You and the other Archangels have been so busy, and everyone else seemed okay with following Zachariah's lead, so I thought it best to play elsewhere." She seemed to come to a startling realization. "Am I in trouble for this?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Trouble? Why would you think you're in trouble? I don't approve of you being on your own, but I'm not going to punish you for it."

She seemed confused. "Archangel Gabriel said that when an Archangel speaks to you, it usually means you've done something wrong. And you just said I shouldn't have gone off on my own, so I thought..." she trailed off nervously.

Lucifer rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Leave it to Gabriel to find amusement in scaring the little ones out of their wits. He knew he liked him for a reason. "Not every time, I assure you. And please, there's no need for titles or formalities with me, Little One. Just call me Lucifer."

"But Archangel Michael and Archangel Raphael always insist that we address our elders by their proper titles," Anael argued. She quickly slapped a tiny hand over her mouth. Oh Father, she had just back-talked an Archangel! If she wasn't in trouble before, she certainly was now.

Instead of a reprimand, however, Lucifer let out a loud, musical laugh. His brilliant smile made his flawless face even more beautiful. "I'm sure they do, but I would much rather you call me by my name, no titles attached. And _Sir_ just makes me sound so old." He knelt down and cupped her chin, admiring her beautiful eyes. They were even greener than he remembered. "Can you do that for me, Anael?"

She nodded, mesmerized. The Morning Star was actually touching her! "Yes, Sir—I mean, Lucifer."

"Good girl." He took the time to study her. She'd certainly grown since he'd last seen her up close. She was only about knee-high to him, but her wings were long and seemed to be losing their downy fluff. Her flight feathers would b coming in soon. Her hair was longer too, though still as vibrant as before. "I promise you're not in trouble, but I still say one as young as yourself should not be alone."

This seemed to upset her just a little bit. "Do I really have to go back? Zachariah never lets anyone else pick the games, and I'm sick of playing soldier."

He pout was strangely charming. He weighed his options. On one hand, she shouldn't be alone out there. Heaven was rather safe, but if a fledgling wandered too far they could get lost, or perhaps fall of the edge of a cloud. On the other hand, he couldn't blame her for not wanting to deal with Zachariah. Besides, this was the first time he'd managed to spend any time with her, since he preferred to avoid the crowds himself. He finally came to a decision. "Then would you mind terribly if I were to play with you?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "You want to play with me?" The only other archangel that ever really played with the fledglings was Gabriel, and that was mostly just playing practical jokes and the like.

It was impossible to hide his amusement. "Certainly. I've been working too hard lately. Some fun would do me good."

Her smile was almost impossibly bright. "Thank you, Lucifer!"

They played for hours, alternating between tag (Lucifer had to promise not to fly for the sake of fairness), hide-and-seek (he decided to not point out how easy her red hair made it to win), and he even showed her a few of the tricks he had taught Gabriel. By the time the sun started to set Anael was too tired to go back to the other angels.

"You know," Lucifer said, running his fingers through his golden hair, "I feel as if I should give you a nickname."

She blinked in confusion. "A nickname?"

"It's a way of showing affection, usually by shortening or altering one's given name. Like how Gabriel calls me Luci. It's usually reserved for those you're closest to or care about a lot."

Not even exhaustion could dampen her curious nature. "But then why would you give me a nickname?"

He chuckled, a rumbling that reminded her of distant thunder, though much less scary. "Father, you're an inquisitive thing. Because you're special, of course. Don't you remember me?" He lightly brushed his fingers against her cheek, reaching out and touching her Grace with his.

Anael's eyes widened in recognition and joy. "It was you! You're the one who held me when I was little! I've felt you other times, too! I thought I had just imagined it."

The elation at her discovery touched Lucifer just a little bit. "That I am. I'm sorry I haven't been around more, but not long after you were born Father asked me to help him on a very important project. I've tried to check up on you, but it's been hard to find the time. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I can!"

"Good." With a smile, he hoisted her up and cradled her in his arms, wrapping his wings around them. Anael tried not to marvel at the way his six wings practically glowed under the setting sun. "Now, about that nickname. Since your name is Anael, I think I should call you Anna. Would you like that?"

She nodded eagerly. She probably wouldn't have cared what he called her at this point. "Is everybody else going to call me Anna?"

"No, only me, at least for now. I'd rather this stay between us for the time being. It makes it more special if you're just my Anna. Okay?"

She beamed up at him, emerald eyes bright. "Yes, Lucifer."

"That's my Anna."

TBC

So that was chapter 2. I know it was fluffy, and I promise it will get dark, but it will take at least a few more chapters before it can get that way. In the meantime, feel free to message me with suggestions and input. Even if I don't use it, I still appreciate new ideas as they help keep the creative juices going. Please review!


	3. Lessons

Another fluffy chapter, though hopefully you people will enjoy it. Just keep in mind that things have to be sweet and nice before they can go downhill. So please read and review so I can continue updating this. I'm enjoying writing it, but it's not the same if I feel like people aren't enjoying reading it.

Disclaimer: I don't own. If I did we'd get to hear more about the relationships between the angels back in the day.

Chapter 3: Lessons

With the dinosaurs well underway, the archangels finally had time to get involved with the fledglings. Lucifer spent most of his time with Anna, playing with her and telling stories about God's creations and their brothers' (mostly Gabriel's) antics. He reluctantly let her play with her other siblings, occasionally joining them at her request, though anyone could tell he only tolerated being around that many fledglings. After a while, though, it quickly became apparent to everyone that she much preferred playing with the Morning Star than with angels her own age.

Unfortunately, after less than a year of this, Michael decided it was time for the fledglings to begin schooling. He felt that the little ones needed to start learning more about their abilities and purpose, along with basic skills such as reading and writing. And of course, since the archangels were the oldest, it was up to them to be the teachers.

Lucifer had been reluctant to take on such a role, but Michael had made it clear that they all had to help. The older seraphs, such as Joshua and Camael, were willing to help with giving lessons, but Michael insisted that Lucifer needed to teach, just like the rest of them. The Morning Star didn't like it, but after much nagging from his brothers he agreed to teach music.

Despite the fact that it meant less playtime with Lucifer, Anna was excited to start lessons. She was an inquisitive angel, and the idea of being taught something new every day was like a dream come true. Lucifer had taught her some things, like the names of stars and dinosaurs, but she needed to know more. Amused, he acquiesced to her pursuit of knowledge, resigned to once again spend less time with her than he wanted, but comforted that he at least would see her during his class.

Within the first week Anna had figured out how each angel taught. Michael, true to his nature, was a stern but fair taskmaster. He drilled them on the teachings of God and how one must never doubt Him. The archangel had not been pleased on the first day when Anna had raised her hand and asked if they would ever get to meet Father, as he had no real answer. So he told her that she would see God if He wanted her to, but until then she must simply accept that He is very busy and must have faith. While not completely satisfied with this answer, Anna had let it go, tucking the information away and deciding to ask Lucifer about it later. She avoided raising her hand after that.

Raphael was also stern, but was slightly more open to questions, so long as they were "is this right?" or "how do I do this?" He accepted that healing was a difficult art, especially for those who were still learning the basics of using their Grace. Still, Anna became frustrated when someone like Zachariah or Remial, who were a few centuries older and had more experience, were able to pick up something quicker than she could.

Gabriel was certainly the most unconventional of the teachers. Every lesson was a surprise, as the young seraphs would arrive to class, only to find their older brother nowhere to be found, or an illusion in his place. He would eventually reveal himself, laughing over how easily they'd been fooled. He would then start to show them how to do smaller illusions, though he was easily distracted and could sometimes be coaxed into showing them more tricks, changing class from a lesson to a performance.

Joshua was the oldest seraph after the archangels and was highly respected by the little ones. Anna liked him because he always held class in the Garden, telling them about the different plants and animals that reside there. He was calm but friendly, and seemed more amused than annoyed when Anna asked him about the trees and flowers. His answers were short but informative, and he told her that if she wanted he could find her a book about the plants in the library. Naturally, she said yes.

Her least favorite teacher was Camael. If anyone tolerated her questions less than Michael, it was him. He taught nothing but rules and would go on for hours about what was right and what was wrong. In Anna's mind, his lessons boiled down to "what I tell you is right, what you actually think is wrong." Lucifer had laughed at her description and had agreed whole-heartedly, adding in, "If it's fun, it's wrong, so don't you dare have fun!" He then tickled her until her sides hurt, declaring that her laughter was a sign she was a sinner and must repent.

Reading and writing was taught by Metatron, and was probably one of the most useful skills. True, he would drone on and on and she would have to record everything he said, but she knew that the better her reading and writing got, the more books she'd be able to read in the library. So, despite the cramping of her hand and stiffness in her neck, she generally enjoyed the class.

Of course, it was no surprise that Lucifer's music lessons were her favorite. Why wouldn't they be? She got to see her favorite brother every day and hear his heart-achingly beautiful voice sing hymns or listen to him masterfully pluck at the harp. He'd first make them listen to him perform a song, then have them sing or play along with him, one verse at a time. When he felt they were ready, the whole group would play the whole song together without his accompaniment. He would then point out who was out of time or had missed a note or was completely out of tune. He never had any problem naming names and letting the whole class know who was good and who was hopeless. Of course, Anna was typically praised, singing loudly and sweetly, eager to impress her brother. More often than not, her enthusiasm earned her a proud smile and high praise.

Once, Michael had decided to stop by and observe the lesson. Lucifer had smiled teasingly and asked, "Checking up on me, brother?"

Michael had remained neutral, though Anna swore she had seen the very corner of his mouth twitch upward, though only for a second. "I was merely curious as to how the lessons are progressing."

Lucifer just laughed. "As well as can be expected. They seem to be getting the hang of it, at least. Some more quickly than others," he said, winking at Anna.

He nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm pleased to hear that. Perhaps the little ones wouldn't mind if I sat in on a lesson, then? I'd like to hear their progress for myself."

"If I didn't know better I'd say you doubted me, Michael. But since I do know better, please have a seat. Alright everyone; from the beginning."

They were hardly halfway through the song when Michael interrupted them. "Lucifer, they are not singing in uniform. They should be singing as if with one voice, yet I hear some," he looked pointedly at Anna, "more clearly than others."

Lucifer laughed. "I agree that they should be a chorus, but if some sing better than others it can't be helped. Besides, if one is better, they should sing loudly, so that those who are having trouble can hear how to do it and follow their example."

He frowned. "I see your reasoning, but the point of a chorus is that one does not stand out. You shouldn't encourage them in such a way."

Anna could tell Lucifer was getting annoyed. His wings had given a slight twitch, unnoticeable to anyone but her and Michael, as they were the most familiar with his habits.

"So I should punish excellence? That seems a little counter-intuitive, don't you think?"

"I didn't say that. What I am saying is that you should not encourage dissention in the ranks."

"They're not soldiers yet, brother, and I'll teach my class how I feel it should be taught."

"You're showing clear favoritism and it is harming the unity of the little ones."

The young seraphs watched the argument in silence, unsure what to do. Some of them tried to hide behind their music notes while others seemed to be debating sneaking away. Anna suddenly felt very ashamed. She had just been trying to make Lucifer proud of her, and now he was getting in trouble with Michael because of it. She didn't want to destroy the unity of the chorus, either! She tried to hide behind her wings, wishing she could just disappear.

Lucifer wasn't having it, however. "Anna, stop hiding behind your wings. And the rest of you, stop sniveling!"

Critically eyeing his trembling siblings, Michael said, "Brother, perhaps we should continue this discussion in private."

"I agree. You're all dismissed."

The young seraphs didn't have to be told twice. They all tore out of the music room as fast as their little legs could carry them. When the group finally stopped, they all collapsed onto the soft clouds, panting for breath.

Zachariah was the first to speak. "Nice going, Anael."

The redhead said nothing, not wanting to cause more trouble.

Zadkiel, an angel only a few decades older than her, was less quiet. "Shut up, Zachariah. It's not her fault she's a good singer."

"It's her fault we weren't one voice, though," Remiel pointed out. "She's always singing too loudly."

"She needs to sing loudly to cover up the notes you miss," Zadkiel shot back.

Naturally, this caused the whole group to start shouting, hurling insults and accusations at each other.

By that point, Anna'd had all the fighting she could stand for one day. "Stop it, all of you!" she yelled so loudly that the others froze mid-sentence. "Archangel Michael was right; I sang too loudly. I'll try to be quieter from now on, ok?" Zadkiel tried to speak, but she held up her hand to silence him. "It's okay, Zadkiel. And Zachariah, don't look so smug. I'm saying that Archangel Michael was right; not you."

"See, Michael? I told you I wasn't being a bad influence on her."

The fledglings jumped in surprise, then turned in unison to face the archangels behind them.

Michael remained stoic. "Not as bad as I had assumed, at least. Still, I'm glad you're willing to do this, Anael. A good angel must know when to make a compromise."

Lucifer cocked an eyebrow. "When have you ever compromised on anything?"

"Shut up, Lucifer. Anyway, I am pleased with your decision. One must be willing to put aside their personal wants for the sake of keeping the peace. I hope the rest of you will follow her example," he said, giving a pointed look at Zachariah.

The young seraphs nodded, relieved that the fighting was over. With a wave of dismissal, Michael flew off, and the little ones scattered, leaving Anna and Lucifer alone.

She frowned. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble, Lucifer."

The Morning Star laughed. "Trouble? Hardly."

"But I got Archangel Michael mad at you!"

He shrugged. "Oh, he wasn't really mad. He just doesn't like it when things are done differently than he expects them. You should have seen him when Gabriel convinced Father to make the Archaeopteryx; he didn't think dinosaurs should have feathers and complained about it for days. Father had to promise it would eventually evolve into birds so he'd stop sulking."

She stared at him. "Are you lying to me?"

"I never lie, Little One. Now, are you really going to sing quietly during class?"

She gave a determined nod. "Yes. Archangel Michael was right; I was disrupting the harmony of the choir. I don't want to cause any more trouble." She bit her lip, hoping she hadn't disappointed her favorite brother.

The two stood in silence for a moment before Lucifer grumbled, "Great, now you're influencing me." When Anna gave him a questioning look, he sighed. "Alright, fine, you can sing the same as the others. But," he added slyly, "you have to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"I get to give you private music lessons."

She stared at him in silence for a moment before her face broke into a beaming smile and she happily hugged him. "I accept, I accept, I accept!" she shouted, ecstatic that Lucifer was both not mad at her and that she'd get to have singing lessons all by herself.

Pleased that she accepted his proposal, Lucifer scooped her up into his arms and wrapped his wings around them, playfully kissing her on the forehead. "That's my girl. Good to know I have an excuse to keep you all to myself," he chuckled. Try as he might, Michael was not going to hold Anna down; not if Lucifer had anything to say about it, at least.

TBC

So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's fluffy, but sometimes fluffy is good. If anyone has any suggestions for events in future chapters, I am happy to listen. I may not use them, but I'm always open to suggestions. Oh, and just one more quick note: if you fav or follow this story, please write a review. I know faving and following is a clear sign that you're enjoying it, but it's still so much more satisfying to see someone take the time to write a review, even if it's a really short one. So please review!


	4. Fear and Flying

Ladies and gentlemen (are there any guys reading this? I mean, if there aren't, that's fine, but I've always wondered how many dudes read fanfiction), I give you the fourth chapter, written during a very slow day at work where I literally had nothing better to do than write fanfiction. Not a bad day in my opinion, lol!

Disclaimer: I still own nothing. Damn.

Chapter 4: Fear and Flying

"Oh, come on, Anna; it's perfectly safe," Lucifer cooed, coaxing her towards him with golden fingers.

Anna remained hesitant, keeping her feet planted firmly on the cloud. "Are you sure? I mean, it's not that I don't trust you, it's just…"

He smiled. "Little One, I swear by our Father's name that I will not drop you under any circumstances. You want to see the Earth, don't you?" She nodded. "Then stop being afraid. Fear will only cause you to miss out on what's in store for you."

Despite his coaxing words, she was still unsure. She trusted and adored her brother, but she had seen him fly before. He was fast and graceful, with his six powerful wings propelling him through the air with unmatched ease. He seemed to make a point of showing off, too, doing complicated twirls and loops mid-flight. Anna was sure he wouldn't intentionally drop her, but common sense told her that anything could happen. Michael had told her and the other fledglings about Falling just the other day. The whole idea of tumbling out of Heaven to the ground below, Grace burning up inside you as you plummeted terrified her. But she really did want to see the Earth, and she wouldn't get her own flying lessons until her flight feathers finished coming in, which would take at least another decade.

Sensing her hesitance was wavering, he pushed some more. "I put a lot of effort into convincing Gabriel to distract Michael so I could take you flying. It seems a shame to waste all his hard work. I'm going either way, so if you really want to see the Earth, this is your last chance. But I suppose if you don't trust me—" Before he could even finish, Anna was in his arms, clutching him tightly. He smiled, pleased. He knew he could make her see things his way. She always did, sooner or later.

For Anna, the thought of Lucifer leaving her behind and believing that she didn't trust him was nigh unbearable. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. Lucifer would not let anything happen to her. He would fly them over the Earth, show her the trees and ocean and continent, then bring her back to Heaven, safe and sound. A sigh escaped her lips as he lifted her into his strong, comforting arms. _He said he wouldn't drop me, and Lucifer doesn't lie,_ she thought. _He won't let me Fall._

"Are you ready?" he whispered in her ear.

"Promise you won't go too fast?"

"I promise not to go any faster than we need to. Is that acceptable?"

She nodded her consent, wrapping her fingers in his white tunic.

Pleased with her compliance, Lucifer flapped his mighty wings and took off, clutching the redhead tightly. He started off slowly, practically gliding towards the surface of the planet and allowing her to adjust to the sensation of flying. He was also a bit distracted by the feeling of her face buried in his neck. He had never been so hyper-aware of her presence before, but suddenly he was noticing the sensation of her small puffs of breath against his skin or how perfectly she fit in his arms. It was as if she belonged there, her own tiny arms wound desperately around his neck as if afraid he might vanish, leaving her to plummet to the ground below. It was rather adorable, really.

Of course, cute as it was, it was also a little annoying. "Anna, while I'm certain my throat is rather fascinating up close, you're missing the scenery."

Detecting the touch of irritation hidden in his otherwise playful tone, Anna managed to pry her head away just enough to glance beneath them. Once she did, however, she couldn't look away. The Earth was even more beautiful up close. The water shimmered and sparkled below them, with fish swimming below the waves while a young Plesiosaur poked its head out in curiosity. The land was just as amazing, with a great verity of plants and dinosaurs she had only heard about.

Satisfied that she finally seemed to be getting used to flying, Lucifer started to speed up, intending to return to Heaven. Unfortunately, Anna immediately noticed the difference and buried her head back into his shoulder with a squeak. He sighed in annoyance. Flying so slowly was such a pain, and Anna really needed to grow up about it.

"Little One, I need to fly faster if we hope to return home in time," he coaxed.

She stubbornly shook her head. "No! I don't like flying so fast!" she shouted against the wind.

Rolling his eyes, he was starting to regret taking her on this flight. He hated flying slowly. He was proficient in going at great speeds and aerial acrobatics, not crawling along at a snail's pace. Suddenly, a wicked thought entered his mind. Perhaps he had been spending too much time with Gabriel, but he couldn't help but want to put a little scare into his favorite sister. _After all,_ he reasoned, _if she can't handle flying while safe in her big brother's arms, how can she be expected to handle it on her own?_

"Anna," he chuckled in her ear, "have you ever heard of the term 'trial by fire?'"

She peaked away from his neck. "Yes. Why do you ask—" she screamed as Lucifer rose to the sky with a burst of speed and performed a dizzying array of aerial acrobatics; flips, twists, loops, dives, everything. Lucifer laughed as Anna buried her face even more deeply into the crook of his neck, shouting, "Don't let me Fall, don't let me Fall, don't let me Fall!"

After what seemed like an eternity to Anna but was in fact only a few minutes, Lucifer finally landed back on the clouds, satisfied with the rush he always felt after performing so many mid-air tricks. Unfortunately, Michael was there waiting for them.

The oldest archangel looked at his brother sternly. "Lucifer, what in Father's name were you doing?"

The Morning Star didn't answer, too distracted by the trembling angel in his arms. Carefully he pried her stiff arms from around his neck, staring worriedly at her face. "Anna, are you alright?"

She didn't respond, too busy trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in her big green eyes, threatening to spill over. Michael had told her and the other fledglings just last week that soldiers of God don't cry, and she still had the presence of mind to not want to embarrass herself.

Lucifer frowned. "Anna, we're not flying anymore. We're back in Heaven, safe and sound. It's okay, I promise." He set her down on the soft clouds but still received no response. "Come on, Little One, I was only having some fun. I just wanted to show you what you could do once you started flying." Sadly, that only got a choked sob out of her. "Anna, look at me."

She shook her head in defiance and ran to Michael, clutching his leg desperately as if she were afraid Lucifer might snatch her up and make her go flying again.

Michael didn't even try to hide his surprise at his sister's actions. Anael had never so much as touched him before, much less chosen him over Lucifer. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. As much as it bothered him how much favoritism his brother showed towards the redhead, he had gotten used to seeing them spend all of their free time in each other's presence. It was constant and dependable, like the raising of the sun. He turned his attention back to Lucifer. "What did you do?"

Before he could respond, Gabriel swooped down. "Lucifer! Sorry I couldn't keep him distracted, but once he realized you were gone…" he trailed off, noticing the fledgling clutching Michael's leg. "Lose your playmate, Luci?" he teased.

Michael halted Lucifer from snapping back. "Gabriel, please take Anael someplace quiet. I must speak to Lucifer." He glanced down at the slip of an angel who held him even tighter. "Do not fly her there. Walk. She seems to have had enough flying for one day."

Gabriel blinked in surprise and was about to argue, but finally noticed the way Anna was shaking. "Sure thing, Mike," he said, gently taking hold of his sister. It took some coaxing, but he managed to pry the redhead off of Michael's leg. "Come on, Anael. We'll go to the Garden and visit Joshua, okay? Do you want a lollipop?"

Anna nodded jerkily, her shaking subsiding at the mention of the Garden. It was nice and safe there, with solid ground and no room for scary flying.

Lucifer frowned as Gabriel gathered their little sister into his arms, snapping up a green apple lollipop from out of nowhere. He hadn't meant to scare her. Well, okay, he had a little bit, but he didn't want her to be scared of him. He sighed, moving forward to gently touch her cheek. She flinched back as if she'd been shocked, so he settled for tucking a wayward strand of ruby hair behind her ear. "Anna? I only wanted you to stop being afraid of flying. You understand, don't you?"

"You broke your promise," she whispered. "You said we wouldn't go any faster than we had to. You broke your promise."

He tried to meet her eye, but she steadfastly refused to look at him. "But I didn't drop you. I would never let you Fall. Don't you trust me?"

Anna said nothing, so with a frown Gabriel quickly carried her off to the Garden, silently hoping the redhead would forgive her favorite brother.

TBC

So this one, while not exactly dark, is still certainly less fluffy than the other chapters. Let's face it, flying is probably a terrifying experience for a newbie, and when someone you trust decides to turn a moderately pleasant flight into a freaking air show, you have the right to be upset. I also feel this chapter shows a bit more of Lucifer's personality from the show. Sure, he loves Anna, but he's selfish enough to scare the crap out of her for his own enjoyment. Notice how he doesn't apologize, either. He justifies, and in this case it kind of bites him in the ass. So hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. I promise the next one will be a bit darker, and will show wrathful!Lucifer. See you soon, and please review!


	5. Forgiven

So, we've made it to chapter 5! Huzzah! Glad at least a few people seem to be enjoying it, since I know it's not exactly a common pairing, but hey, crack can be fun. (No, not that kind.) Anyway, this one was fun, and I hope you all like it enough to drop me a review (hint hint).

Disclaimer: I'm not Chuck, so I don't own Heaven.

Warnings: I guess acts of violence against minors (are they minors? I guess in angel terms they are. Man, angel ages are confusing), though nothing super graphic. Also, Lucifer is a bit closer to cannon in this one.

Forgiven

For the next few weeks, Lucifer did his best to keep his distance from Anna. He didn't really want to, but after the chewing out he got from Michael he was forced to concede that it was probably best to give her some space.

"Honestly, Lucifer, I'd expect this from Gabriel, but not from you," Michael had said at the end of his long tirade, having spent at least an hour scolding him for taking the fledgling out flying not only without his permission, but long before she was ready.

Of course, Lucifer hadn't stayed away completely. He still taught the music class, after all, so naturally he saw her at least once a day. However, despite how many times he called on her to sing solos or how much he praised her, she refused to look at him any more than she had to, and she certainly wouldn't meet his eyes.

She also stopped attending their private music lessons, though he supposed that shouldn't have surprised him. Instead, she spent her free time with the other fledglings or in the Garden with Joshua or sometimes even just wandering off to be by herself. He knew this because he made it a point to keep an eye on her, hiding his Grace and watching over her from afar. Just because he was keeping his distance didn't mean he was going to leave her alone completely. He needed to watch her so he could figure out how to get her to forgive him. Soon, he became extremely grateful for his vigil.

Lucifer was watching her from a stray cloud high above the rest of Heaven. It gave him a good vantage point to watch her, but also kept her from seeing him. Anna had chosen to go off on her own again, a habit he thought she'd broken after all the time she'd spent with him. She was older, but she was still a fledgling and it was still dangerous for one so young to head off alone. He was considering finally coming out and talking to her when he saw three figures approach her. It was Zachariah, Jophiel, and Virgil.

_What are they doing here?_ Lucifer thought, tensing at the sight. Zachariah and Anna had never quite gotten along, as she had a bit too much of an independent streak to put up with his need to be in charge.

Anna turned to face the three boys, irritation clearly written across her face. "I told you to leave me alone, Zachariah. I'm sick of listening to you."

Zachariah shook his head condescendingly. He may have been only a few centuries older than her, but he tended to act like he was as old as the archangels. "It's okay, Anael. I suppose I'd be pretty sick of being reminded of what a baby I am if I were in your position."

"Glad you finally admit you're a baby."

Lucifer smirked at that. It seemed Michael had been right; Anna was picking up some of his habits. In this case, being able to turn one's words against them. _Good girl._

Zachariah glared. "Shut up! What kind of angel's scared of flying, anyway?"

"I'm not scared of flying," she said, stomping her foot.

"Then why were you crying? Something in your eye?" Jophiel threw in, earning a laugh from the other two.

"Nah, I'll bet they were tears of joy. No, wait, that'd be Lucifer. I'll bet he's glad he doesn't have you following him around all the time," Zachariah said cruelly, earning nods of agreement.

Even from where he was perched, Lucifer could tell from the way Anna's fists were clenched at her sides that it was taking all her control to keep her temper in check. She didn't show it often, but when she got mad her wrath was something to behold. "You talk too much," she snapped. "Not even Metatron talks as much as you. Now go away and leave me alone."

Virgil smirked. "Don't listen to her, Zachariah. I'll bet she's not even a real angel. She's more like those creatures Joshua told us about the other day. You know: slugs."

Zachariah laughed as Anna's face turned as red as her hair. "You're right! How'd a slug like you get up here, Anael?"

She glared. "I said go away, or I will make you."

"Hmph. What could a slug like you do?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. With a scream, Anna charged forward and pounced on Zachariah, tackling him to the ground. She quickly landed a solid punch to his nose, causing a surge of pride to well up in Lucifer. Zachariah managed to land a hit to her mouth, splitting her lip, but she was clearly getting in more blows. Unfortunately, her advantage didn't last long as Jophiel and Virgil picked that moment to get involved. Jophiel grabbed her arms to stop her vicious punches while Virgil pulled her up by her hair.

While Anna struggled against the two larger seraphs, Zachariah stumbled to his feet. "Damn it! You'll pay for that," he snarled, grabbing her and pushing her towards the edge of the clouds. "How about you go back to Earth, slug?" He gave her another push, causing her to teeter dangerously. He grabbed her hair and pushed her closer, only just letting her keep her footing. She could see the ground far below, and she started to panic at the thought of plummeting towards it with no Lucifer to slow them down or tell her he wouldn't drop her.

_Oh why did I have to get so mad at him?_ she thought, frantically trying to escape.

Virgil suddenly seemed hesitant. "Zachariah, be careful. She might actually Fall!"

Surprisingly, Jophiel agreed. "Yeah. I know she punched you, but you're going too far."

Zachariah glared at them. "Shut up!" He turned back to Anna. "I'm going to make you wish Lucifer _had_ dropped you."

"Will you now?" Lucifer growled from behind them, staring down at the young seraph. It was one thing to let fledglings settle things through a fistfight. It was quite another to watch one threaten to push his favorite little sister out of Heaven.

Zachariah jumped and stumbled away from the edge, bringing Anna with him. Feeling his grip on her hair loosen, she quickly untangled herself and dashed to Lucifer's side, wrapping her arms around his hips desperately. No matter how mad she had been at him before, she was more than grateful he had appeared when he did.

Lucifer glowered at the three boys. "So, it takes three of you to take on one girl? It disturbs me that Father's future soldiers would stoop so low."

It bothered Anna just how cold he sounded. She could feel him tremble with rage, and she could just see his eyes blazing with wrath. Yes, the boys had roughed her up, but if anyone should be angry about that it was her, not Lucifer. She was just happy she was safe.

Yanking Anna's arms off of him, Lucifer shot forward and grabbed Zachariah by the front of the tunic. "Do you think you're braver than Anna?" he asked, voice deadly calm. In a blink he was hovering in the open sky, dangling the seraph with one hand. He laughed as Zachariah squirmed in fear. "What's wrong, little brother? Not enjoying the view?"

Virgil and Jophiel started yelling, begging the archangel to put Zachariah down. Anna stared at Lucifer, horrified. No matter how mad she was at the bully, she didn't want him to fall. She didn't want that for anyone. She rushed to the edge of the cloud and screamed, "Lucifer, please! Let him go!"

Lucifer met her eyes, a vicious smirk marring his beautiful face. "As you wish!" he called, before he did, indeed, let Zachariah go.

Zachariah's screams mixed with Anna's as he started to Fall, but mere seconds after being released Lucifer caught him, flying back up to the clouds and setting him safely back down. He smiled at him serenely. "Exhilarating, isn't it? I suggest you remember that next time you even consider touching my Anna again. Now scram!" The three boys ran off, terrified at what the archangel might do to them if they lingered for too long. Lucifer turned back to Anna and knelt down, inspecting her split lip. He prodded it gently with his thumb, pleased that the cut didn't seem too deep. "How badly are you hurt?"

She tried to stop trembling, but it was pointless. "I'm f-fine. N-no harm done."

He frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't stop them sooner. I thought you had things sorted on your own." He gathered her in his arms and held her tightly, wrapping his wings around them protectively. "I don't care how mad you are at me, I'm not going to let you out of my sight again."

"If you had just apologized I would have forgiven you ages ago," she murmured against his chest.

"Would you? Then I apologize for frightening you so. Though to be fair I was a bit miffed that you didn't seem to trust me."

She pulled away, startled. "So it was my fault?"

He smiled down at her. "Oh, Little One, it's alright. I forgive you. I understand that you were afraid of Falling, but I can assure you that every angel is. Me, Michael, Raphael," he paused, smirking, "…Zachariah."

A shiver ran up her spine. "I didn't want you to drop him."

He ran his fingers through her soft hair. "I realized that just as I let him go. But don't worry; I wouldn't have really let him Fall. Michael would have my head for that!" He laughed, but Anna couldn't find it in herself to join him.

"Please don't ever do that again."

Lucifer smiled at her sweetness and cupper her cheek. "As you wish. I don't want you to feel any more distress over this. Now, how about a singing lesson? I've been composing a new piece just for you, but you have been shamefully negligent. I'd say we need to make up for lost time, eh?"

Anna nodded obediently, though more out of fear than of actual enthusiasm.

He seemed to sense her hesitance. "Anna, I want you to trust me. I would never do anything I thought might harm you. I understand your fear, and there is nothing wrong with being cautious, but I want to ask you something." Brushing her beautiful hair away from her face, he whispered, "If I was willing to catch Zachariah, why in Father's name wouldn't I catch you?"

Biting her lip, Anna realized he was right. She knew Lucifer loved her, and he'd never risk her safety like that. Even if he had broken his promise, she was wrong for not trusting him. She was foolish for ever thinking he would let anything happen to her. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Lucifer."

He smiled indulgently and kissed her cheek. "All is forgiven, Little One. All is forgiven."

As he scooped her up and took to the air, Anna tucked a little away an important piece of information; Lucifer loved her and would do anything to protect her. And while she'd always cherish that, there was a part of her that was a little bit frightened at how far he'd really go. She hoped she'd never find out.

TBC

Oh Lucifer, you magnificent bastard! Only you could turn it all around and make Anna blame herself. Still, at least they're back together. Man, Zach's a dick though, huh? And I figured Jophiel and Virgil would make good bullies too, since we've seen Virgil as a hitman and I read that Jophiel was the one who chased Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. I know I've following the stereotypical "big brother angel protects baby sibling from meaner angel siblings," but I hope I've put enough of my own spin on this that I can be forgiven for following such a formula. Also, I am always open to suggestions for future chapters! You can drop a review or a private message, but I am always interested in new ideas. Regardless, I'd really appreciate reviews. Favorites and Follows are nice, but if you do one of those, just leave a short review as well, ok? Those three reviews I have look so lonely!

Also, just a quick stylistic question: in the narration, should I have Anna referred to as "Anna" or "Anael," since she's still an angel? I do plan on (eventually) getting to human Anna, and I'm worried about confusing people. Just let me know!


	6. Relaxation

Well, I got no reviews for the last chapter, so I'm not sure if people are still enjoying this. Hopefully I'll get a couple for this one. It's kind of back to the fluffy stuff, but, well, I can't exactly turn Lucifer evil yet, can I? That last chapter hinted enough at his dark side, so here's some aftermath. Be sure to let me know how I'm doing of if you have any ideas for future chapters. The more reviews I get, the quicker I update.

Disclaimer: No. Just no. (sob)

Chapter 6: Relaxation

The gleaming sun was setting, giving Heaven a soft, lustrous golden glow. At this time of day, the clouds appeared to be made of flames, with reds, oranges and yellows reflecting off the shiny white surface. Anna normally liked this time of day because her hair stood out less, blending with the haze instead of looking like a drop of blood on a virgin's wedding dress.

However, at the moment she was too tired to even enjoy the sunset. Flopping down onto the pillowesque clouds, she stretched out her long wings, trying to work out the soreness and kinks that had developed. With her long, powerful flight feathers fully grown, she and the other fledglings had started flying lessons. Much to everyone's relief, Lucifer had agreed to keep his involvement in said lessons to a minimum. The other angels had heard about the cause for the brief fallout between him and Anna, and while all had been forgiven for at least a century, no angel was eager to have him teach them. After all, if even Anael had been scared, what hope did the others have?

Thankfully, he'd just laughed the wariness off, cheerfully telling his brothers that he was happy not to have to hold back while he babied the newbies along. He'd eagerly passed off flying lesson duties to Raphael and Gabriel, who turned out to be excellent, if exhausting, teachers. Instead, Lucifer agreed to help Michael with combat training.

Anna groaned a bit in pain as she rolled her shoulders. Now she remembered why the rest of her hurt. Michael was as stern a taskmaster in combat as he was in his other classes. Typically, he started off with basic positions, making them fix their stances until they were absolutely perfect. Then, he'd make them practice move after move with their swords over and over until it was practically second nature. The problem for Anna was that, since she, like most of the other fledglings, didn't have her own sword yet, she had to use a practice one, which was too heavy for her. Naturally, this meant she got tired before most of the others, but Michael would keep pushing her to keep going.

After the "warm-ups," as Michael liked to call them, Lucifer would organize them into pairs for sparring. As he put it, "learning a move is pointless unless you actually learn how to use it against someone." He was right, but that didn't mean she enjoyed getting whacked with a sword. The blades were dulled to prevent serious injury, but they certainly bruised her just fine.

Looking up at the darkening sky, she sighed. She was conflicted about combat class. It seemed to be the one time Lucifer didn't show her any sort of favoritism. While she was actually happy to not have everyone staring at he like they did in music class, whispering how she was only that good because Lucifer taught her privately, it bothered her how often she seemed to be matched against opponents like Virgil. Her slightly younger brother was arguably the best in the class, and he didn't really hold back, even in training. She sometimes considered asking Lucifer to pair her up with someone closer to her size, like her sister Lailah, but she always shot the notion down. That last thing she needed was for Zachariah to call her a quitter.

Closing her eyes, she willed her Grace to speed up the healing process, trying to relax her muscles and joints as much as she could. Bit by bit, warmth traveled down her body, but it was only enough to ease just a little bit of the pain. Virgil had been especially exuberant today, getting in quite a few good shots. She'd managed to give her own fair share, but while she was quicker, she didn't have the strength to do as much damage.

Suddenly, she felt another Grace brush against her's, filling her lanky body with wonderful, soothing heat. Sighing happily, she opened her eyes, pleased to find Lucifer standing above her, smiling at her obvious sound of comfort.

"Better?" he asked, stretching out beside her.

She nodded, marveling at how her brother made even laying down look so graceful and luxurious. She gave her own stretch, winching as she felt her muscles sting protest. "Well, better than I was, at least. Today was pretty tiring."

His soft chuckle tickled her ear. "Yes, I heard you got to fly over the Earth. More comfortable with speed now?"

Pale cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Yes. It's easier to enjoy fast flying after you've learned the basics. My wings are still tired, though."

Humming in understanding, he pulled her onto his chest, flipping her onto her stomach. She let out a squeak of protest, but it quickly turned into a sigh of pleasure as long fingers started massaging her back. Golden digits rubbed little circles along her spine, paying special attention to the base of her wings.

Anna snuggled against him, enjoying the way her soreness just seemed to melt away. She was pretty sure his Grace was helping, healing powers leaking from his fingers to undo the knots that had formed in her back. He was warm, too, and his chest made a surprisingly good pillow, if a bit too firm. She was perfectly content and comfortable.

Unfortunately, he hadn't healed her bruises, and she let out a startled yelp when his massaging fingers pressed down on a particularly sensitive one on her ribs.

Lucifer immediately stopped. "Are you alright?"

Taking a deep breath, she managed to compose herself. _I'm not some baby angel that could cry at every injury anymore_, she stubbornly thought. "I'm fine. Just a bruise from training."

He shook his head. "Virgil seems to have gotten quite good with a sword. Michael and Raphael will probably end up fighting over who gets him in their squad."

She rested her chin on his chest, looking up at his face as best she could. "How come Raphael isn't teaching combat? Isn't that what he's the angel of? I'm sure he could do that and teach flying."

Lucifer sat up just a little, resting his weight on one of his elbows while his other hand combed through her primaries. He rather liked the way the feathers tickled the underside of his wrist. He chuckled at her questions. "Michael wanted us to all be involved, and since no one seems to trust me to teach flying," he gave her a reproachful glare, though it soon was ruined by his smirk, "I agreed to teach combat. Simple as that."

She worried her lip a bit, debating over her next question. Lucifer liked when she asked questions, but he wasn't overly found of her questioning him.

Per usual, he seemed to sense her indecision. "Oh, just ask, Little One. I know you've got some pressing life-or-death question bouncing around that adorable head of yours, so let's hear it already."

A deep breath for courage, then, _"WhydoyoualwayssetmeupwithVir gil?"_

He blinked, nonplussed. "Come again?"

She swallowed nervously. "Why do you always set me up with Virgil?"

"I don't always set you up with Virgil."

"No, but you do most of the time," she grumbled, pouting.

Strong fingers started massaging her wings. "Maybe I'm just doing it to be mean," he teased. "Or maybe I'm angry at you for something."

Anna emphatically shook her head, red hair spilling over the archangel's chest. She'd seen him when he wanted to be mean. In fact, she sometimes still had nightmares about it, that vicious smirk twisting his lips as he dropped Zachariah. No, this was something else. "Nuh-uh. If you were mad at me, I'd know it. You have to have a reason."

He seemed pleased with her response._ So good to know my Anna has such faith in me._ His hand stopped massaging, instead wrapping around her waist and shifting her higher up his torso so he could meet her eyes. "You're right. I'm not angry, and I'd certainly never set you up with Virgil just to be mean. So what do you think it is?"

She quietly pondered for a moment, but couldn't think of a single reason. "I don't know."

Chuckling, he sat up, setting her on his lap. She'd grown taller in the past century, he noticed, the top of her ruby head hitting the middle of his chest. "It's basic teaching, Anna. You notice your students' strengths and weaknesses and then partner them with someone who will complement those skills. Virgil is incredibly proficient with the sword, but he's a bigger target and not as fast as you. So I pair him with you so he has to learn be quicker and not just strike randomly with all his strength. And I do it so you will learn to turn your smaller size and speed into an advantage, and to force you to develop more muscles." He tickled her side for emphasis, earning a surprised squeal of laughter. Limbs flailing, she tried to wriggle her way out of his grasp, but he held tight and blocked any escape routes with his wings, forcing her to endure the tickle torture.

Finally, he stopped, laughing as Anna gasped for breath, cheeks almost matching her hair. She punched his shoulder in revenge, but she was pretty sure she hurt her hand more than him.

Breath caught, she leaned against him, pleased that her only soreness was in her ribs from his ruthless assault. "So," she said, not quite ready to let the topic go, "you only paired me with him to make me stronger?"

"Well, it was also to get Michael off my back. He was worried I'd show too much favoritism towards you and only put you against easy opponents, like Remiel or Dumah. So, I might have had one or two selfish reasons."

She rolled her eyes. "Figures. Even when you're being nice you've got your own agenda," she joked.

He grinned, caging her in again with his six brilliant wings. "Curses! You know me too well, my Anna. I'm left with no choice but to lock you away forever, lest you warn the unsuspecting masses of my true nature."

They both laughed, Anna playfully batting at his wings, pleading for him to let her go. "I swear," she giggled, "I'll never tell a soul!"

"I know you won't, because you'll be locked in a tower with only me to talk to!"

After a few more playful attempts to escape, Anna settled in his lap, and Lucifer pulled back his wings. The sun had set completely, and the stars were just beginning to wake up.

She stared up at them. "You wouldn't really lock me away, would you?" she whispered, not wanting to disturb the peace.

Lucifer gently kissed her temple. "Hmm, lock you away in a tower, keeping you all to myself? Tempting as it may be at times, I don't think our brothers would stand for it. They already get all uppity over how much time we spend together. Something about how I'm isolating you from angels your own age or some such rubbish."

She snorted. "I spend plenty of time with the others! I have classes with them almost every day, plus we all sleep on the same cloud. I just like being with you the most."

Smiling, he clutched her tighter. "And I you, my Anna. You'll always be my favorite."

She turned from the stars, vivid green eyes meeting his radiant sapphire. "But you promise not to lock me away?"

"I promise."

TBC

Whew! I was worried I wouldn't have this chapter! I had the next one mapped out, but I felt it was too sudden. I will warn you, the next chapter may feel like filler, but it's really not. And this one, if you look closely, is a lead-up for the next. See if you can guess what it is. (Hint: no, Lucifer doesn't break another promise, so it's not that. But keep that in mind for the future.) Again, if you have suggestions for future chapters or plot elements, feel free to mention them, as I always love to hear new ideas. Please review, and I'll try to have the next chapter up quickly!


	7. Siblings

Another chapter! I wrote this a week ago, but didn't post it due to the business of the holidays. Oh, and props for Awesomenes P for managing to vaguely predict what happens in this chapter long after I already wrote it. Let me know what you all think in a review!

Disclaimer: Sadly I didn't get _Supernatural_ for Christmas. Man, I sold my soul to Santa for nothing!

Chapter 7: Siblings

It was rare that lessons were canceled, but apparently God needed the archangels for something, so the young seraphs were given the day to do as they pleased. Ordinarily, Anna would go off by herself and practice her singing, especially since Lucifer had given her a new song to learn, but Gabriel had other ideas.

Before he left, the Messenger pulled her aside. "Listen, Anael, it's all well and good that you prefer spending time with Luci, but you should try to hang out with your other siblings a little more, don't you think? It's like you don't even know them," he'd said.

Naturally, she'd been rather offended. How could she not know her own brothers and sisters? "I know them plenty!"

"Really? Then tell me what Virgil does when he's finished training."

She blinked. "…Train some more?"

Gabriel shook his head in dismay. "Nope. Like I said, you need to know them better. So here's a little challenge for you; I want to you get to know your other brothers and sisters, at least the ones in your age group. When I come back, you should to be able to tell me one thing about each of them that you didn't know, okay?"

Anna scrunched her nose in distaste. "All of them?"

"All of them. Even Zachariah." He smiled at her adorable pout. No wonder Lucifer saw so much of himself in her. The resemblance was uncanny. "It doesn't have to be a big thing," he assured, "just something you didn't know. Like his favorite color or something. Be creative. But I want you to be able to tell me something you didn't know about him and everyone else. That's an order. Got it?"

She huffed but knew she should obey. He may be more relaxed than the other archangels, but his commands were still to be taken seriously. Still, there was one more issue. "But Lucifer wanted me to learn a new song he wrote."

"Was it a direct order?"

"Well, no…"

"Then my mission takes priority. Now, can you do this for me?"

She sighed, knowing she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Yes, Archangel Gabriel."

With a pat on the head, Gabriel took to the sky, hoping Lucifer wouldn't be too annoyed with his plan.

XXX

It was insulting that Gabriel had given her such a silly task, but her pride wouldn't let her even consider not getting it done. She certainly knew _him_ well enough to know he'd never let her live it down if she couldn't even find out one thing about her siblings.

_Why should I get to know them, anyway?_ Anna wondered, flapping her wings irritably. _I like spending time with Lucifer. Zarchariah's always been bossy, and Remiel, Jophiel and Virgil aren't much better. They're jerks. And all the other angels just go along with it! Sure, maybe one or two of them aren't so bad once in a while, but I'm perfectly happy with just Lucifer._ Unfortunately, she knew pouting wouldn't get her anywhere, especially with Gabriel. He had some sort of weird immunity to it.

Deciding she'd best get to work if she wanted to get her mission done, Anna took off for the Garden. Most of the other angels were there, enjoying the tranquility of nature. Immediately, Anna found two of her younger brothers, Muriel and Arariel, by the stream. The two could have been twins, with matching sandy hair and tan skin, but where Muriel had muddy brown eyes, Arariel had clean blue. Anna, along with most of the angels, couldn't tell them apart, since they were together so much.

The two seemed to be studying the waters intently when she landed on the bank beside them. "Hello, you two. What are you looking at?"

Muriel stared at her in surprise, brown eyes wide. "Um, hi, Anael. Just looking at the fish." He and Arariel glanced at each other. "Did we do something wrong?"

Confused, Anna cocked her head. "No. Not that I know of, anyway."

"Then not to sound rude or anything, but did you need something?" Arariel chimed in.

"As a matter of fact I do. I need information."

They looked at each other again, then looked back at her. It was kind of amazing just how in sync they were. "What information?"

She shrugged. "Anything. Something about yourselves that I probably don't know." At their confused expression, she wracked her brain for something specific. "Um, okay, what's your favorite animal?"

Muriel's eyes lit up. "The crab! They're so cool. There's not a whole lot of things that can walk sideways. I'll bet Father made it that way because it's special!"

Considering his answer, Anna smiled. Lucifer liked crabs too. He said they were one of Father's more unique creations. "Cool. What about you, Arariel?"

He crossed his arms. "I like all sea creatures."

"What about river creatures?"

He shook his head. "They're not too bad, but I like the ocean better. The animals are way cooler!"

Silently, she agreed. Lucifer had shown her some of the enormous creatures that live in the ocean, and they were definitely much bigger and cooler than the little river animals.

Pleased with her success, Anna thanked the boys, mentally storing away their answers and crossing their names off her list.

XXX

Remiel, Jophiel, Zadkiel, and Nuriel were the next bunch found. Wary of the first two, Anna pleasantly addressed Nuriel. "Nuriel, what do you aspire to be?"

He seemed surprised at her question, responding with an elegant "huh?"

She sighed. Okay, so maybe she didn't talk to the others outside of class too much, but was it really that much of a shock that she was talking to them? "I mean, once we're done with lessons and Father gives us our individual purposes, what do you hope to be?"

"I guess I'd like to be one of Father's warriors, especially if I could serve under Archangel Michael." He grinned at the thought of their oldest brother. "Fighting side by side with Archangel Michael would be so cool! He's kind of my idol."

To her surprise, Anna found herself routing for him. It reminded her of how much she looked up to Lucifer. "I'm sure you will. What about you two," she asked, turning to Remiel and Jophiel. "What are your goals?"

"Why do you want to know? What's so interesting about my ambitions that the great Anael has chosen to bless us with her presence?" Jophiel asked sarcastically.

"Leave her alone, Jophiel," Zadkiel said, barely stirring from his comfortable position under a tree. "She asked you a fair question, so you might as well answer it."

"What'll you do if I don't?" he taunted. "Tell on me?"

The peaceful angel rolled his eyes. "No, but you do owe me for convincing Archangel Raphael to only give you a week of sword cleaning duty instead of a month after that incident during flying lessons. You know, the one where you set my wings on fire?"

Anna sniggered while Jophiel glared. It was an incident that she doubted Jophiel would ever live down. Gabriel had decided that the fledglings needed to learn how to use their Grace while flying, so he set up a flying battle free-for-all. Unfortunately, though he had specified "non-lethal" attacks, Jophiel had gotten a little too competitive and had ended up hurling a fireball right at Zadkiel. He'd managed to dodge in time to avoid most of the damage, but his wings had still gotten burnt. Raphael had immediately called the exercise to an end. It was really rather funny in hindsight. Not the burning part, of course, but the sight of Raphael's face going purple with anger was kind of amusing, so long as you weren't the one he was yelling at.

Jophiel was practically pouting. "I owe you for that, Zadkiel. I don't owe the almighty Anael anything."

She almost glared, but retained her composure. She had a task to finish, and by Father she would. Thankfully, Lucifer had taught her a few things about sweet-talking. "I know you don't owe me anything, brother, but I'm just so very curious," she said, voice dripping with honey. "I never get to talk to you outside of class, and I'm sure your goals are simply _fascinating_. So _please_ tell me?"

He still seemed annoyed and reluctant. "If I tell you, will you leave me alone?"

"Of course!"

Regarding her suspiciously, he finally said, "I think I'd like to protect the Garden. It's peaceful here, and I wouldn't want anyone messing it up."

Despite her lingering bitterness over that time he helped Zachariah beat her up, she found herself agreeing with him. The Garden was beautiful, and Lucifer always said it was the most perfect place in Heaven. She couldn't blame Jophiel for wanting to protect it.

"I'd rather avoid fighting altogether. Taking sides seems to only cause more problems," Remiel said.

Rolling her eyes at his hypocrisy (_Right, because you certainly didn't take Zachariah's side when he accused me of causing trouble in music class,_ she thought), she thanked them and went on her way.

Hunting among the rose bushes, she found eventually found Barachiel and Dumah. Barachiel was only a few years older than her, but he was nice enough. Before Lucifer had become her favorite brother, Barachiel had been the one she liked the most. He was calm and protective, probably one of the few fledglings that had been willing to tell Zachariah he was being bossy. He was the one who kept littler ones like Dumah from getting teased too much.

She landed next to him. "Hi, Barachiel. Dumah."

Turning from the roses, he gave her a smile. "Fancy seeing you here, Anael," he said. "Is there something you need?"

Dumah was silent. Always had been, and likely always would be. He seemed to do well enough without a voice, however. Even music class wasn't a problem; Lucifer, having resigned himself to never hearing the fledgling sing, had allowed him to accompany the chorus on the harp, which he was naturally gifted at. He was nice, but his quiet stare sometimes got a little creepy. She could never tell what he was thinking.

It suddenly dawned on her just how removed she'd been from her siblings. She was only talking to them to get information at Gabriel's request. How unfair could she be? Just because a few of them had been mean to her in the past didn't mean she should have forsaken all of her siblings. No wonder they were all surprised she was talking to them. A hot rush of shame filled her heart. "Um, no, nothing really. Just wanted to say hello. So, Hello."

Spreading her wings, she was about to leave when Barachiel caught her wrist. "What's the matter? Was it something I said?"

She held back tears of shame. "No. Just saying hello. I'll leave you alone now."

Surprisingly, it was Dumah that tugged her to the ground, turning her to face him. His eyes were concerned, and something in his stare begged her to tell him what was wrong.

She sniffed a bit, tears escaping her luminous green eyes. "I just realized how little I actually know any of you. I mean, I came here because Archangel Gabriel wanted me to find out one thing about everybody that I didn't know, and everyone's been so surprised that I'm talking to them and I've been judging everyone for Zachariah and the others being mean to me but I'm not all that different now am I?" She managed to keep herself from sobbing, but she still couldn't believe how hypocritical she'd been.

Barachiel shook his head. "Anael, it's okay that you spend more time with Lucifer than us. You're lucky to have an archangel all to yourself. Sometimes, I'm even jealous." He gave her a rueful smile. "Sure, some of us would love for you to spend more time with us outside of class, but if you're happy with Archangel Lucifer, then we're happy for you. It's like these roses." He gestured to a lush green bush filled with beautiful white roses. "Some of the blossoms clump together more than the others. They don't choose to, it's simply how they grow. But they're still all part of the same bush."

She wiped her eyes. "Even Zachariah?"

Barachiel scrunched up his face and Dumah did the same. "Yes, unfortunately."

Giggling, Anna smiled at her brothers. "Thank you. I'll try to spend more time with the rest of the bush when I can."

Dumah grinned and handed her a white lily. She accepted it gratefully. "Is this your favorite flower?" she asked.

He nodded eagerly.

Barachiel smiled. "My favorite's the white rose. I'll bet you didn't know that about me."

Grinning, she shook her head, tucking the lily behind her ear. "That I didn't. Now if you'll excuse me, boys, I've got a lot of siblings to catch up with."

With newfound confidence, Anna was able to complete her task with more enthusiasm and less awkwardness. Lailah, one of her few sisters, happily talked to her about the stars and how she preferred flying at night, as the darkness made if seem like the sky went on forever. Azrael was surprisingly forthcoming with his information, gleefully telling her that he had never lost a staring contest. And Virgil was so surprised that she wanted to know what he did after training he actually blurted out "reading" before he could even wonder why she asked. One by one, she learned a special fact about all of her siblings.

Soon, she had an answer from everybody but one. Zachariah. After much searching, she spotted him under the Apple Tree, the one she knew contained the Fruit of Knowledge. He was staring at the dangling fruit intently, and she wondered if he was thinking of taking one.

"I'm guessing you're here to ask me one of your stupid questions, too?" he grumbled, not even bothering to look at her.

She frowned but held her ground. "How'd you know?"

"Everyone's been talking about how the great and mysterious Anael has come down from on high and has been asking everyone inane questions. Archangel Lucifer finally let you off your leash long enough to mingle with the rest of us, huh?"

It took a lot for Anna to suppress the biting comeback on the tip of her tongue, but she managed. "Look, just tell me something about yourself that I don't already know and I'll leave. Trust me, it'll be my pleasure."

"There's plenty you'll never know about me. But I already know all I need about you. I guess that means I'm smarter. I'm probably the smartest angel here."

"Do you want me to list all the times you've done something stupid? Because it'll take all day, but I can."

He ignored her, continuing to stare at the apples. They were both silent for a while. Anna studied the tree as well, wondering if they only way she'd ever learn anything about Zachariah was to eat one of the apples. It might work, but she doubted it was worth the huge amount of trouble she'd be in.

Finally, he asked, "Why apples?"

"Huh?" _Well, that's a bit random,_ she thought.

"Why are apples the Fruit of Knowledge? Why not pears or kumquats? I just don't get it. What's so special about an apple that makes it worthy of attention? Why do red things get noticed more than everyone else?"

A sudden realization dawned on her. He wasn't just talking about the apples. It was oddly humbling. "Thanks, Zachariah. I think I'll leave, now."

"Good. I guess you're smart enough to do that."

Without a word, she flew off, surprised she hadn't even had to take one bite to figure her brother out.

XXX

Gabriel and Lucifer found her waiting for them outside the Garden. The Messenger of God smiled. "Well kiddo? What did you learn?"

Lucifer stood to the side. Gabriel had told him of Anna's task, and while he'd much rather she practice her scales, he was curious to see what nuggets of knowledge she'd gathered.

Taking a deep breath, Anna began listing things off, telling them everything, from how Dumah liked white lilies to the fact that Azreal had never lost a staring contest. Each fact came with ease, and she found herself proud that she had managed to learn so much in one afternoon. Maybe her brothers and sisters _were_ interesting, and maybe she should spend more time getting to know them. It seemed almost silly now how she had been such a stranger to her own age group.

Gabriel nodded as she told him about Jophiel's goal. "That's everyone but Zachariah. Did you learn anything about him?"

She bit her lip, wondering if she should tell. "He's…jealous of me, I think. He says he doesn't get why red things get more attention."

Grinning, the archangel patted her head. "Good job, Anael! Your obligatory quota for family time has been filled. Told you this was a good idea, Luci," he said, grinning at the other archangel.

Lucifer seemed nonchalant, but Anna could tell he was pretty annoyed. "Yes Gabriel. It was such a good idea to send Anna on a pointless mission to gather useless information about our younger siblings instead of studying the music I'd written for her. Brilliant as always."

Anna ducked her head in shame. She'd been having so much fun with her mission that she'd completely forgotten the music Lucifer had given her. _Damn it,_ she thought. _I did exactly what I was asked! How am I still between a rock and a hard place?_

Gabriel just laughed it off. "You have music lessons with her every day, bro! I'm sure you can teach her the song tomorrow. Besides, the kid needs to get out more. I was starting to worry that if she kept it up, we'd have another Lucifer on our hands." He turned to Anna, smug grin on his face. "Don't listen to him, Anael. Luci's even worse than you! He spends so much time with you sometimes I forget there are more than three archangels. You both need some serious social work."

The Morning Star glared at the Messenger while Anna just kept staring at her feet. "Go play some tricks on Michael, little brother. I need to speak to Anna."

Gabriel blinked, surprised at his cold tone. "Hey, I was just looking out for the kid's best interests. Don't take it out on me." He glanced at Anael. "Or her for that matter. She's kind of obligated to follow an archangel's orders, you know." He liked the little redhead, and he certainly wasn't going to let something happen to her if he could help it. Especially since he got her into this position in the first place.

"Then she should have followed mine," Lucifer growled.

"Yours weren't a direct order; mine were. Ergo, she had to listen to me."

Anna finally spoke up. "I'm sorry, Lucifer, but he's right. I made the same argument earlier," she said weakly, cowering a bit under her brother's gaze.

After another moment of glaring, Lucifer gave up with a huff. "I'm not mad at you, Anna. I'm sure you did everything possible to get out of this ridiculous assignment, or at least finish it up quickly enough for you to work on my song. I place no blame on you."

She nodded, grateful that she wasn't in any real trouble.

Gabriel glanced between them, apparently deciding that he had no reason to worry about Anael. "Well, good to know that's settled. I'll leave you two alone now." Before either could so much as utter a goodbye he had flown off, having reached the conclusion that while getting them apart was good for a little while, it was smarter to let them spend the rest of the day together uninterrupted. Baby steps, after all.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Coward," he grumbled, though it had a hint of fondness to it.

Anna nervously ran her fingers through her hair, "I'm sorry I didn't learn the song. I really wanted to, but—"

Lucifer held up a hand, cutting her off. "It's alright, Little One. Like I said, I'm not mad at you. I'll teach it to you tomorrow."

"Okay." There was a moment of silence, then, "Gabriel may have been right, though."

"About what?"

"I really didn't know my peers. I may have classes with them and sleep on the same cloud, but I barely knew anything about them. I'm practically a stranger to my own siblings."

Once again, the Morning Star was obviously annoyed. "What are you saying, Anna? That you'd rather spend time with them now than me? If that's what you want I'd be happy to leave you alone."

Her eyes widened in horror. "That's not what I'm saying at all! I'm just saying that everyone was so surprised when I said I wanted to talk to them. They acted like I thought I was better than them. Zachariah treated me like I was your pet or something, and Arariel actually thought he was in trouble. I—I didn't like it, Lucifer. I didn't like everyone believing that I think I'm better than them."

He frowned and lifted her into his arms, absently noting that she'd grown a bit over the past few years. He couldn't quite cuddle her in his arms like he used to. "Anna, you are better than them. I wouldn't have taken such an interest in you if you weren't." He wrapped his wings around them, enjoying how her bright hair went so well with his golden feathers.

She smiled. "I'm glad you appreciate me so much, Lucifer. You're still my favorite brother, and I'd still rather spend time with you, but maybe I could make the occasional appearance to the others? To keep Gabriel from pulling another stunt like this, of course," she said, voice honey-sweet and charming.

His laugh made his feathers tremble. "Not bad, but you still have a long way to go before you could persuade me. You learned that from me, after all." He smirked at her adorable pout. "But if it will keep my brothers from trying to lead you astray again, I suppose I could let you skip a music lesson or two for the sake of letting you mingle with the Host. But you're going to have to do something for me."

Anna gave him an eager grin. "Anything you want."

"I want you to sleep on my cloud tonight. I lost a whole day with you, and yet you gained one with the others. I will not let them have the night with you as well."

Green eyes stared at him curiously. "But that's against the rules. I'll get in a ton of trouble if I get caught!"

Lucifer's own eyes twinkled with amusement and mischief. "Well, then I suppose we should make sure you don't get caught."

"How?"

His smile was nothing short of smug. "My Anna, who do you think taught Gabriel all his tricks? Trust me, they'll never even notice you're gone."

TBC

So, I know this chapter seems like I'm just introducing pointless characters, but I felt I was kind of isolating Anna and needed her to interact with her other siblings. I'll try to involve them more in future chapters, since I've got plans for a couple of them, but mostly I wanted to show Anna's relationship with someone other than Luci, and damn it I have the whole host of Heaven to choose from! I really wish I could have put more Gabriel in this chapter, though. He's quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Maybe in another chapter? Oh, and for those of you who might be upset that some of the cannon angels, such as Castiel or Balthazar weren't in it, well, they simply haven't been born yet! But oh, they will be. Suggestions are welcome!


	8. Conflict and Celebration

Please review? It makes me sad when my chapters outnumber my reviews and even sadder when I get a bunch of faves and follows but the people who did so didn't even take the time so say "Good job." Remember, a happy anubislover is one who updates quicker. A sad one takes her sweet ass time.

Disclaimer: Oh, the things I'd do if I owned Lucifer. But I don't. Not until I kidnap Mark Pellegrino, anyway.

Chapter 8: Conflict and Celebration

It seemed like time passed far too quickly, as while it had been at least a millennium, it seemed like it only took a handful of years for the fledglings to finish their lessons and become full-fledged seraphim. This meant their Name Day was coming, the day they were granted a title and a purpose by Father, a label that would decide their entire future in Heaven.

It was the day before the ceremony, and almost everyone was busy. Joshua was busy communing with God, figuring out who was given what title and double-checking to ensure no one had been forgotten. Metatron was writing the opening words, a speech that was all but guaranteed to be needlessly long-winded and dull. And Camael was chaperoning the seraphs-to-be who were off enjoying one of their last days of careless freedom before they became burdened with responsibilities.

The only ones not running around were the archangels. Having finished their own duties, they decided to take the time to relax together, enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet.

"Can you believe they're almost seraphs?" Raphael said, languidly stretching out his wings. "It seems like only yesterday they were just starting lessons, barely able to manipulate their Graces beyond the slightest spell."

Michael nodded in agreement, straightening out his robes. "They did seem to grow rather quickly, though I'm sure the little ones feel differently. Remember how long it seemed to take for us to finally have our Name Day?"

Lucifer's laugh was musical and carefree. "Definitely. The closer it got, the longer it seemed to take. But the result was well worth it."

"So," Gabriel said, lollipop sticking out of his mouth, "think you've lived up to being the Sword of Heaven, Mikey?"

Michael scowled. "I've told you a hundred times, Gabriel, to please refrain from calling me _Mikey_."

Surprisingly, it was Raphael who said, "Give it up, Michael. The day Gabriel stops with the nicknames is the day the moon turns green and falls into a pink sea."

Both Lucifer and Gabriel laughed at Michael's annoyed expression. "Knew you'd see it my way, Raphy! Heck, I may not even stop then."

Lucifer grinned. "Pity you weren't dubbed He Who Gives Out Annoying Nicknames. It'd fit you much better than the Messenger of God."

"Oh, can it, Morning Star. At least mine doesn't make me sound like a big ball of gas!"

The four laughed good-naturedly, enjoying the familiar sense of camaraderie they'd grown up with.

Gabriel broke the comfortable silence. "So, what do you think the names'll be?"

After a moment of thinking, Raphael said, "Zadikel will likely be named Angel of Mercy. I've never seen him deal blows more lethal than necessary during training. He also has a habit of pleading for less severe punishments to those who have wronged him than I would normally give."

Lucifer nodded. "Seems a no-brainer. Father does tend to notice these sorts of things and reward appropriately. Virgil, on the other hand, will probably be an enforcer. Looks like you'll be able to work with the little solider even more, Michael."

The oldest archangel gave a slight smile. "He's a hard worker and a talented fighter. I look forward to it."

"Dumah?"

"Silence," came the unanimous response.

"Okay, how about Lailah?"

Gabriel's hand shot into the air like a little kid in school. "Oh, oh! I know this one! She'll definitely be the Angel of Night_._ I can't get her to go to bed most nights. She always wants to fly around after dark and look at the stars."

"Probably. Anna tells me that she likes flying at night because it feels like there's no end to the sky."

"Speaking of Anael," Gabriel started, eyeing Lucifer intently. "What do you think she's gonna be?"

With a smirk, the most beautiful angel in Heaven gave a luxurious stretch. "I don't rightfully know, little brother. She's far more complex than the others."

Raphael shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "Maybe she'll be the Angel of Beauty. I've heard many comment on how lovely she is."

"Really? I want names. Someone's been staring at my Anna a little too closely, I think," Lucifer growled playfully.

The Healer chuckled. "Then music, perhaps. She spends so much time in the music room with you I sometimes worry she'll forget how to speak altogether."

"Looks like Dumah has competition then," Gabriel joked.

"Hardly," Michael snorted. "She's more likely to be She Who Questions Everything."

Lucifer turned to glare at his older brother. "There's nothing wrong with asking questions. It's how one attains knowledge. She's intelligent and loves learning, and she's wise enough to know that the best way to get answers is to ask. Would you begrudge her that?"

"Peace, Lucifer. I don't begrudge her for loving knowledge. I'm just saying that she could stand to just accept things as they are every once in a while instead of always asking _why?_ It's aggravating."

"Zachariah's aggravating, and he does everything you say," Gabriel pointed out, hoping to ease the tension between his two oldest brothers.

They both groaned in unison. "I hate that guy," Lucifer growled bitterly. Even though Anna had gotten over it, he'd never quite forgiven the seraph for threatening her.

Surprisingly, to an extent Michael agreed. "He overdoes it. I often have to remind him that brown-nosing is not a virtue."

"Oh, he's not that bad," Raphael defended. "Despite his faults, he's a natural leader and warrior. I think he'll be able to lead his own squad in no time."

"Only because he doesn't like to share power. And sure, he's a good fighter, but Anna's kicked his ass in training plenty of times. She just doesn't brag about it like he does," Lucifer said proudly.

With a shrug, the Healer conceded. There was a time of contemplative silence. Finally, Michael spoke. "They've all grown up so much."

Gabriel sighed, sucking on his candy. "Yeah. What the heck are we going to do with all this free time we'll get? I'm actually gonna miss teaching the little brats. It was fun."

Raphael nodded. "They've all changed."

Lucifer gave a snort. "Not my Anna. She's just as perfect now as she was at the beginning. She's just a little taller now. And I don't know about you, but I'm certainly not going to stop giving her music lessons. There's still much I can teach her."

That got an eye roll from everyone. "Lucifer," Michael started, "I know you cherish Anael. All of Heaven knows it. In fact, I'm fairly certain even the dinosaurs know it by now. But don't you think it's time to let her go?"

"Let her go," he repeated, deadpan.

Gabriel jumped in, hoping to avoid an argument. "We're not saying stop seeing her completely, Luci; we just think maybe you should let her spend some more time with her other siblings. I mean, there's a reason I made her learn all those facts about the others. It's healthier for her to spend more time with seraphs her own age. You're stifling her."

"Stifling her?" he spat. "You're seriously bringing up this old argument again? Anna has been spending plenty of time with the others. She and Lailah do each other's hair, she spends time in the Garden with Dumah and Barachiel, and I've even seen her in the library reading with Virgil! How am I stifling her?"

The three looked at each other, wordlessly trying to come up with an argument that wouldn't send their more volatile brother into a rage.

"Well," Gabriel began, "half the time she only does these things because you're too busy with us and Father."

Raphael threw in his own two cents. "And there are times when I actually would check in on the seraphs just to make sure she was at least still sleeping on the same cloud as them. I always half expected to find her on your cloud."

Lucifer decided not to tell him about how he'd sometimes cast an illusion in Anna's bed to make it seem like she was there just so she could sleep in his. No need to give his brothers more ammunition. "So she prefers my company to everyone else's. I still fail to see the problem."

Michael sighed. "The problem is that she's a grown seraph now. She cannot cling to you anymore like a newborn. If she does, she'll never reach her full potential. And you can't keep coddling her, defending her from every little threat and slight. We care about her too, Brother. But we care enough to realize that she needs to stop flying with the safety net, as the saying goes."

Golden skin flushed red with rage while equally golden wings flared. "So, you think I coddle her? You think I'm holding her back? _You think you care more about Anna than I do?_" His snarl could send a Tyrannosaurus Rex running for the hills. "I have done more for our sister than all of you put together! I have protected her from harm, indulged her questions and sated her thirst for knowledge, and treated her like an equal, which is more than I can say for how any of you treat our siblings. And yet you have the absolute _gall_ to claim you care for her more than I."

Gabriel once again tried to play peace-maker. "Luci, we're not saying that—"

"I know exactly what you're saying," he growled, getting to his feet and spreading his wings. "And I have no interest in hearing any more. I'll see you tomorrow, Brothers. I feel this conversation is of little import."

Before any of the others could stop him, Lucifer flew off, ignoring their cries for his return.

The three remaining archangels sighed as Lucifer faded from sight. None wanted to go after him, knowing that a confrontation at this point would only make things worse.

Raphael shook his head. "Well, that could have gone better."

Tossing the sticky lollipop away, Gabriel agreed. "Man, Anael seems to become a touchier subject every time. Maybe we should leave them be."

"I hate to say it, but you're right," Michael said. "Let the subject drop for now. Maybe once he realizes how much she's grown he'll do the right thing and let her go. If not, we'll bring it up again." He glanced at his brothers with a hint of trepidation. "Only next time we'll have a plan."

XXX

The next day, Lucifer barely spoke to his fellow archangels as they watched the ceremony commence. As they expected, Metatron gave a verbose, long-winded speech about Father and the responsibilities he was giving each of them, as they had proven themselves and yadda yadda yadda. The Morning Star had tuned him out before the first paragraph was done.

Instead, he studied the seraphim. They didn't seem any more interested than he did. Lailah was whispering something in Dumah's ear, earning the dark-haired angel a smile. Virgil and Jophiel seemed to be staring off into space, eyes half-lidded and glassy. Zachariah was obviously trying to pay attention, probably to make himself look good, but even he seemed to be nodding off.

Finally, his eyes found Anna, though her fiery hair was hard to miss. She was standing next to Barachiel and was looking around eagerly, seemingly intent on finding something. He reached out and lightly brushed his Grace against hers, catching her attention. She treated him to a sheepish smile and a subtle wave, obviously embarrassed that she'd been caught not paying attention. He winked in response, putting her at ease again.

His brothers had been right about one thing: she had grown. She was in that lanky teenage stage, the halfway point between being a fledgling and an adult. She was a few inches taller, just past the bottom of his pectorals. Most of her height seemed to be in her legs, he noted, and he wondered just how much more she'd grow.

His attention finally returned to the ceremony just as Metatron finished up. Most of the other angels seemed to be waking up from their speech-induced slumber. He saw Anna lightly push Virgil, who stood in front of her, snapping him out of his daze. He barely held in a chuckle as the seraph not-so-subtly whipped his head around, apparently searching for some imaginary attacker. It was rather funny.

Finally, Joshua stepped forward, scroll of parchment in hand. "When I read your name, please step forward," he announced in that calm, authoritative voice of his. "Azrael."

The eerie seraph stepped forward, staring unblinking at Joshua with his unnerving yellow eyes. To his credit, the Keeper of the Garden didn't even flinch, which earned him a few more points of respect in Lucifer's book. The kid had a habit of being just plain creepy, but obviously the gardener didn't care. "Azrael, God has watched you closely throughout your growth, noting your temperament, intelligence, and willingness to do what must be done. As such, He has declared you the Angel of Death."

Out of the corner of his eye, Lucifer noticed Gabriel pale a little bit, not that he could blame him. While it certainly fit the kid, it was a no-brainer that it wouldn't be winning him any popularity contests. Still, the seraph seemed pleased with his title and gracefully bowed as everyone gave him a polite round of applause. He gave the other seraphs a smug smirk as he sauntered over to the side, standing by Metatron and Camael.

Taking pity on his younger brother, he leaned over and whispered, "_'Your temperament and willingness to get things done?'_ Is that Father's way of saying _'You're the only one creepy enough to want this job?'_"

Gabriel let out a snort of laughter, earning the two of them a reproachful glare from Michael.

"Dumah."

The mute angel calmly took his place in front of his peers, smiling up at Joshua, who returned his grin. "Dumah, God has noticed your patience and serenity, as well as your preference to listen rather than speak."

"That's an understatement," Gabriel whispered, and Lucifer almost laughed before he remembered that Michael was probably still watching them.

"So," Joshua continued, ignoring Gabriel's snark, "God has seen fit to give you the title of the Angel of Silence."

"Didn't we call that?" Raphael murmured, though he, along with everyone else applauded Dumah as he happily bowed.

The names came in a steady stream, with each angel gaining a title or a purpose.

"Lailah, God has named you the Angel of Night."

"Nuriel, you are now the Angel of Hailstorms and will serve as a soldier under Michael."

"Arariel, you have been put in charge of the waters and fish of Earth."

Anna found herself surprisingly pleased when Jophiel got his wish to become a protector of the Garden. Zadkiel, like Raphael predicted, became the Angel of Mercy, but much to everyone's surprise he was teamed up with Jophiel to protect the Garden. "That won't end well," Anna whispered to Barachiel, who nodded sagely in agreement.

On and on it went. Virgil was assigned to serve under Michael to be an elite warrior. Muriel was given authority over the month of June, while Remiel was placed under Gabriel's jurisdiction as a guide for the faithful to Heaven. There was much confusion over that, as many wondered just what he could be guiding to Heaven. Certainly not the dinosaurs. Did Father have something special planned? Still, no one knew, so the ceremony continued without further questions.

Finally, after several more angels were named, there were only a few seraphs left.

"Barachiel."

With a wink to Anna, the older seraph stepped forward.

"Barachiel, God has chosen you for a special task. Not only will you be the Angel of Lightning, but you will also be trained to become leader of the Guardian Angels. He has decreed that this will be an elite group, and it will be of utmost importance in the future."

The entire Host of Heaven was awestruck. Guardian Angels? Guides to Heaven? What _was_ Father planning? From the look on their faces it seemed even the archangels didn't know.

Completely dumbstruck, Barachiel gave a small bow and walked off to a smattering of applause.

"Anael."

The mood having become noticeably more tense, though whether that was due to the bombshell that had been dropped less than a minute before or her reputation, Anna nervously stepped forward. She glanced around once more, and Lucifer wondered what in Heaven's name she could be looking for. He was right there, after all. He knew she'd seen him. What could be more important than him?

"Anael," Joshua began, regaining her attention with his smooth and kind voice, "God has been observing you closely. He has found you loving and intelligent, constantly striving to better yourself, and whether you realize it or not, you have left a noticeable mark on those you care for most. Therefore, He had chosen to name you the Angel of Love."

Anna blinked in confusion, hesitating, her quick mind obviously attempting to comprehend something. There was a long, awkward pause, as the redhead was apparently too distracted to realize everyone was staring at her. Gabriel, apparently unsure she was going to snap out of it on her own, gave a not-so-subtle cough. This seemed to bring her back to the present, as she bowed stiffly and walked off in a daze, barely even hearing the applause or Joshua call forth Zachariah and give him his title.

After the last name was called Joshua rolled up his scroll and Michael turned to the new seraphs. "Congratulations to you all. You are now true warriors of God. Serve him well."

The angels shouted their approval. Raphael turned to Lucifer and Gabriel. "Say what you will about Michael, but he at least knows the best kind of speech," he said dryly. "Short."

The two laughed and applauded louder. Lucifer then turned to find Anna clapping distractedly, apparently still deep in thought.

He strolled over to her and inclined his head, gesturing that they should fly to a quieter spot. Wordlessly she agreed, the two of them sneaking off a little ways away from the others. With all the commotion, he doubted they'd be missed, at least for a little while.

When they we finally far enough from the noise Lucifer turned to his sister, looking at her curiously. "What's wrong? Don't like your title?"

She sighed. "I like it. I just don't understand."

He chuckled. "Little One, Father is possibly the most confusing being in existence. I've long given up expecting a straight answer on anything He does. But I'm sure He has a good reason for naming you the Angel of Love." He smiled, pulling her against him. "In fact, I can certainly see why he did it. You're hard not to love."

Despite her concerned face, she gave a disbelieving snort. "I get the feeling Zachariah might disagree."

"Zachariah's an idiot. He wouldn't know love if it punched him in the throat." He suddenly turned eager. "In fact, you should do that. Let's go find him!"

Despite her doubts, Anna laughed, feeling a bit better. "You really think I can do it?"

"Punch Zachariah in the throat?"

"Be the Angel of Love."

With a grin, Lucifer gently kissed her on the cheek. "I have no doubt. Now let's get back to the party. I don't need any more crap from my brothers about keeping you from our siblings."

She smiled tightly, but it soon fell into a deep frown. "There's…one more thing that's been bothering me."

He chuckled. His Anna was such an over-thinker. "What is it?"

"Why wasn't Father here?"

Lucifer stared at her, for once at a complete loss for words. _So that's who she was looking for, _he thought, understanding hitting like a charging Triceratops_._

Anna, however, wasn't. "Shouldn't He have been here? I mean, if He was the one who gave us our titles, and if we're supposed to serve Him, shouldn't He have been in attendance? I thought today would be the day I'd finally meet Him!"

The Morning Star quickly attempted to construct an answer. "Well, Father has been rather busy—"

"He's always busy!" she shouted. "He's been busy since I was born. Probably even before that! But why can't He take even five minutes to attend a ceremony that's practically in His honor? Doesn't He care?"

She almost looked like she was going to cry. "Did we do something wrong? Is that why none of us have seen Him?"

With a sigh, Lucifer pulled her close, pressing her face into his chest. She gave a dry sob in response, apparently not quite willing to shed tears, but still unable to hold back her disappointment. He glanced around nervously. Voicing such doubts, especially with their brothers so close by, was extremely dangerous. Michael already didn't like how she questioned things, but questioning Father? He feared what the Sword of Heaven might do. He had a bit of a tendency to overreact.

"Anna," he began, slowly and cautiously, "I know this must be hard, but you must trust in Him, even if you never get to see Him. Father is…complicated. Even we archangels, those who have seen and spoken to Him, cannot even begin to fathom His motives. He has unlimited power, yet He rarely uses it to interfere in the lives of His creations. Take the dinosaurs: He spent eons creating them, yet past their initial creation I don't think He's done a single thing with them. I know He's asked for mine and our brothers' input on how to eventually destroy them, but He hasn't told us why. Even I can't claim to understand Him."

"But can't I at least see His face?" she asked, voice muffled by his tunic.

He shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, my Anna. That's not for me to decide. Maybe He's simply waiting for the right moment. You'll just have to be patient."

"Fine," she mumbled, but he could still hear the disappointment in her voice clear as the morning sky.

Stroking her long hair in as comforting a manner as he could, he said, "You'll see Him, Anna. I promise."

With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight squeeze. He returned the gesture, pleased that he had managed to calm her down. "But I need you to promise me something too, Anna," he said solemnly.

Green eyes met blue. "Anything."

"I have no problem with you asking questions or having doubts. Personally, I think it's kind of endearing. But you must swear to me, no matter how much they overwhelm you, to never voice your doubts about Father to anyone but me, and even then only in secret. Our siblings may love you, but I am unsure how they'd react to you questioning Father, no matter how frustrated you are with Him. Were you any other angel, I'm not sure even I would accept it. Do you understand?"

Anna gave an apprehensive nod, noting the uncharacteristically serious tone of her big brother. "I promise."

"Good."

There was a moment of tense silence between the two, neither quite sure what to say. Thankfully, the moment was broken by the sound of fluttering wings as Michael and Gabriel arrived.

"Something the matter?" Michael asked, eyeing their tight embrace.

Lucifer gave them a charming grin. "Brothers, please assure Anna that she'll make a perfect Angel of Love! No matter how hard I try, she doesn't seem to want to believe me. I think she feels I'm biased," he stage whispered, earning a small giggle from the redhead.

Gabriel laughed. "Aww, how could you possibly doubt that, Anael? You're just too darn cute not to love!" He ruffled her hair playfully, earning a shout of annoyance from the redhead. "Don't you agree, Mikey? Admit it, even you consider her the cutest angel in Heaven!"

The oldest archangel studied her for a long moment, making Anna clutch Lucifer a little more tightly. Did he know?

Finally he said, "Father would not have given you a title He did not think you deserved, Sister. I'm certain you will realize this soon. He always has a reason for His actions."

Nervously, she smiled and nodded, giving Lucifer one last reassuring squeeze before pulling away. "Thank you, Archangel Michael. I'm sure you're right."

"Ha! I knew it!" Gabriel winked at Anna. "Told you he thinks you're cute. He's just too stuffy to say it."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Do not put words in my mouth, Gabriel. Now, we must get back to the party. I'm sure there are many who wish to congratulate Anael on her new position." He eyed Lucifer meaningfully. "Don't you agree, Brother?"

The Morning Star smirked at his fellow archangels. "We aren't going anywhere until Michael admits my Anna is the cutest angel in the Host."

Gabriel cackled as Michael scowled. "I will not. It implies favoritism."

"No it doesn't. Anyone with eyes can see she's the cutest, so there's no shame in admitting it."

"I will not hold one angel over another based solely on aesthetics."

"She's cute. Admit it, or none of us are leaving."

Anna and Gabriel shared an amused glance, both wondering how long the two brothers could keep it up. Both were notoriously stubborn, after all.

"You're being unreasonable."

"I'm unreasonable? You're the one holding everyone hostage from a party because you won't admit a simple truth."

Michael sighed. "If I say she's cute, can we go?"

"_Cutest_. Say it, and we can leave."

Muttering something along the lines of "annoying little brothers," Michael turned stiffly to Anna. "Anael is—"

"You mustn't mumble, Mikey," Gabriel chortled. "It's rude. Speak up so we can all hear you."

Anna covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. She and her other siblings would never dare push Michael's buttons like this, but watching Lucifer and Gabriel double-team him? Now that was a sight more than worth the risk. She stood up a little straighter and looked at the archangel expectantly, barely able to keep the grin off of her face. Oh yes, she was definitely going to enjoy this.

Michael growled irritably, but said loud and clear, "Anael is the cutest angel in the Host."

"There, now was that so hard?" Lucifer asked, eyes twinkling in triumph. He loved it when he got what he wanted, and he pretty much always did.

If looks could kill, Michael would have quite a bit of explaining to do, but luckily for both he and Lucifer they couldn't. Instead, the oldest archangel simply said, "Now may we go? I'm sure our sister does not want to be kept from a party due to pointless squabbles."

Lucifer grinned and bent down to give Anna one last affectionate peck on the cheek. "Of course, Michael. Much as I hate to share, I wouldn't dream of denying her the chance to bask in the adoration of her peers."

With that, the four flew off to the party, doubts of titles and God pushed safely out of their minds, at least for the moment.

TBC

Trying to make these notes at the bottom less detailed, as I'm sure no one really cares that much about how I came about writing this chapter. So, I'm just going to say that if I get some reviews, I'll update quicker. It doesn't have to be long, or logged-in, or even interesting, I just hate feeling like no one's reading this and I'm just writing for myself. I mean, I know there aren't that many AnnaxLucifer fans, but I see people viewing it, yet I get no feedback, so I can't tell how many people actually like it.

Ok, my little pity-party is over now. See you next chapter.


	9. A Simple Answer

Because Anna needs to interact with other angels, there is no Lucifer in this chapter. Sorry to disappoint. Please take Michael as a consolation prize.

Disclaimer: I own the dinosaurs. That's why they're dead. It's also why I don't own _Supernatural_.

Chapter 9: A Simple Answer

The dinosaurs were dead.

Anna stood at the edge of Heaven, watching as the smoke slowly cleared, revealing much of the land below to be barren and empty. Where there were once lush jungles was now empty desert, and the seas churned from the changing energy. The archangels and some of the more battle-inclined seraphim were busy killing the monstrous lizards. Much of the plant life was gone, too, and she was certain more than a few of the smaller animals would not last long either. It just seemed like such a waste.

_What a pity,_ she thought_, that Father would order His sons to wipe out His creations._

"Do you mourn for the creatures?"

Startled, she turned to her right, finding Michael standing beside her. He must have only just come back, as she could still feel the pulse of his power radiating off of him. The sun made his liquid-black hair gleam like oil, and the feathers of his six enormous wings glimmered. He was wearing his armor, as well; a brilliant suit made of the same material as their swords. He looked every bit the warrior God created him to be.

She nervously searched for the right words. "Mourn would not be the word I'd use, per se, but it does seem a shame to kill them."

The archangel didn't look at her, his full focus on the world below. "They are not all dead. Some in the ocean shall be allowed to live, so long as they properly adapt. Many do not realize it, but what happens on land does affect the water, and vice-versa. And at least a few of the land creatures will survive and evolve, just as Father has planned. So there is no need to mourn."

"But they received no warning," she commented absently, then immediately stiffened, realizing that one could interpret her simple comment as arguing. With the exception of maybe Gabriel (and in her case, Lucifer), the archangels did not take kindly to being argued with.

Surprisingly, Michael did not appear to take offense. "There would be no point in sending Gabriel to warn them. The creatures were too simple to understand even the most basic of his messages. It was impossible to even give them basic commands. Believe me, Gabriel tried," he said dryly.

Anna giggled. "Why did he want to train a Tyrannosaurus to fetch, exactly?"

The archangel shrugged, but the barest hint of a smile touched his lips. "Who knows? From what I gathered it was supposed to be a key part of some sort of elaborate prank on me, but it never came to fruition."

Nodding, she turned back to the wreckage. "It still just feels a little bit wrong to destroy an entire species without warning. They didn't even get the chance to fight back."

"Would you want to try to fight myself and the other archangels?"

She considered for a moment, hoping to come up with the most respectful answer she could. "I wouldn't want to, but when one attacks you, even someone with powers far greater than your own, isn't it better to try to fight back? At least," she gave him a sideways glance, "that's what you taught us in combat class."

He looked at her, and for a moment she was sure he was going to punish her in some way. But instead he just sighed. "It is Father's will, Anael. If He wants them vanquished, they will be, one way or another."

"I'm not saying they wouldn't be." Hesitantly, she met his eyes. She'd never noticed how different they were from Lucifer's. While the Morning Star had eyes like the brightest day, Michael's were a unique sort of hazel, with pale green blending with dark gold. The colors seemed to churn and swirl but never mix, much like oil and water. It was really rather fascinating. So fascinating, in fact, that she almost forgot his question until he irritably cleared his throat. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I'm just saying that it seems unfair that they were destroyed so abruptly and with no chance to defend themselves."

He shook his head, much like Lucifer did when she hadn't quite gotten the melody of a song. "God is not always fair, Sister."

Anna bit her lip. After her conversation with Lucifer she knew better than to express doubt around the Sword of Heaven. Still, a question as eating away at her, like a maggot inside an apple. And much as she wanted to, she couldn't let it gnaw any longer. "Does He at least have a reason for it?"

"Anael," he said sternly. "I know you mean well. I know Lucifer indulges your curiosity and that you mean no harm by it. But you must stop questioning everything."

"I don't question everything. You just act like I do. Why do you hate it when I ask questions, anyway? It's not like a couple little questions from one angel is going to bring down Heaven."

"No, but one little angel asking too many questions can cause other angels to start asking too many questions. Soon, everyone will be asking about everything, and if they don't get an answer, they can begin to doubt. And do you know what doubt brings? Chaos, Sister. Pure chaos." He bent down to her height and looked her dead in the eye. "Do you want to cause chaos, Anael? Do you want to bring down Heaven?"

"No."

He stood up straight again and combed his fingers through his black hair. It was startlingly similar to Lucifer. "Then learn to accept things for what they are."

She sighed but squared her shoulders. She was not letting this go. "Archangel Michael, I have no intention nor desire to bring chaos to Heaven or cause disarray among the Host. But you and our brothers just killed millions of Father's creations. I would prefer to know there was at least a reason for it, rather than wondering if He simply grew bored with them and that He would order His children to kill for something so petty." She raised her chin defiantly, hoping to disguise the fact that her wings were twitching nervously. She may be gambling with her life on this. "You say questions lead to doubts? Well I say answers lead to conviction. So all I'm asking is whether or not there was a purpose to this massacre. I will be content with that."

Despite the archangel's urge to chuck her clear across Heaven for her defiance, he couldn't fault her for her logic. Much as he hated to admit it, she had him trapped. "You really have been spending too much time with Lucifer," he grumbled. For a second, it almost looked like he was pouting. "Very well. Yes, Father does have a plan. He needs the Earth cleared of the dinosaurs because He needs the room for something else, though He has not yet told me what. Satisfied?"

Anna's smile was bright and pleased, and for a moment, Michael could appreciate why Lucifer was so willing to indulge their sister. Her emerald eyes were alight with interest, as if whatever he had said to her was the most fascinating and profound thing she had ever heard. It was surprisingly endearing.

"Most definitely!" she said. "Especially since I didn't even ask you to explain what the purpose was. A simple yes or no would have sufficed."

And the moment was over. "Leave," he growled, and with a bow the redhead flew away, more than proud of herself. Michael, meanwhile, just wanted to hit something. He turned back to Earth. Hopefully there were still a few more dinosaurs left.

TBC

Sorry, had to kill the dinosaurs, and most of you can probably figure out why. I'm not going to say much about this chapter except that it is very hard to write Michael in character while talking to Anna, as I half expect every line to lead to an all-out battle of philosophy and theology and I am not ready for that yet (scratch that, I will _never_ be ready for something like that)! Still, hope you enjoyed, and I actually hope to write more interaction between these two in the future. Please review! If you sign in and review I'll even try to respond to you!

Oh, and don't ask about the T-Rex and Gabriel thing. I consider it to be like the _Calvin and Hobbes _"noodle incident." It's funnier if you never explain it.


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